The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted in late May to increase water restrictions throughout the region.
Counties throughout the district’s boundaries — Manatee, Charlotte, Citrus, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Levy, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Sumter — are dealing with water shortages.
District hydrologists recently reported a rainfall deficit of 11 inches since the start of the dry season in October 2016. In fact, Swiftmud reports this is the driest dry season for the region in the past 103 years.
Under the new order, lawn watering is reduced to once-per-week and allowable watering hours also are reduced.
Generally, unless a locality has a stricter ordinance, the schedule for watering lawns is:
- Monday: Residences with address numbers ending in 0 or 1.
- Tuesday: Residences with numbers ending in 2 or 3.
- Wednesday: Residences with numbers ending in 4 or 5.
- Thursday: Residences with numbers ending in 6 or 7.
- Friday: Residences with numbers ending in 8 or 9 and also community common areas, etc.
Micro-irrigation and hand watering of non-lawn areas is allowed any day, if needed.
The stricter hours for watering are before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
The order also imposes limits on car washing and homeowners’ associations may not enforce any deed restrictions that could cause an increase in water use.
The restrictions will remain in effect through Aug. 1.